Alcohol Dependence, Womanizing & Treament With Disufiram,A Study.

Batta Anil*, Panag KMDS

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords:

Short Report

Alcohol DependenceWomanizingTreament With Disufiram, A

1. Introduction

The occurrence of womanizing in alcohol-dependent patients

is at least three times higher than in the general population. co-

morbidity rates have been reported that are even five times higher

as in the general population. These observations suggest that

common pathophysiological factors might underlie Womanizing

and drug addiction. However, this hypothesis has not been proven

yet.

Womanizing is currently classified as an 'impulse control

disorder (ICD) not elsewhere categorized' in the DSM, although the

current diagnostic criteria indeed share many features with those

for drug dependence, including (i) continued engagement in a

behavior despite adverse consequences, (ii) diminished self-

control over engagement in the behavior, (iii) compulsive

engagement in the behavior and (iv) an appetitive urge or craving

withdrawal. Similarities between Womanizing and drug

dependence include not only phenomenological criteria but also

epidemiological, clinical, genetic and neurobiological

characteristics. Therefore, womanizing might best be

characterized as a non-substance related or behavioral addiction

with a compulsive urge for a non-drug reward recent evidence

indicates that similar mechanisms are involved in Womanizing

and drug addiction involved. Which is also a hallmark of drug

addiction (Adinoff B et al). A neuroendocrinological study in

womanizers found that womanizing elevated dopamine levels in

problem gamblers more than in healthy controls. The

mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic system has been found to be

implicated in rewarding and reinforcing behaviors. It has been

suggested that womanizing might be related to a deficiency of the

mesocorticolimbic dopaminergic reward system, as has been

shown for drug addiction. Another hallmark of drug addiction that

also holds for womanizing is the inability to inhibit inappropriate

responses. Accumulating evidence points towards an important

role of brain dopamine and noradrenergic systems in impulsive

behavior. The inferior frontal gyrus is critically involved in

response inhibition

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International Journal of Current Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research

Int J Cur Biomed Phar Res. 2011; 1(3): 122 -123

CurrentSciDirectPublication

Dep't of Medical Biochemistry, Baba Farid Univ. of Health Sciences, INDIA

* Corresponding Author : Dr.Anil BATTA

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Aim: womanizing and co morbid alcohol dependence often occur in combination. Disulfiram is one of the proven drugs for alcohol dependence( Brewer C et al) In addition to its inhibiting acetaldehyde dehydrogenase In addition to its inhibiting acetaldehyde dehydrogenase , disulfiram inhibits dopamine β-hydroxylase and may thereby increase dopamine and decrease norepinephrine cerebral concentrations (Kim SW), Because there may be common neurochemical substrates and neuronal circuits for pathological womanizing and addiction, we wished to explore the effect of disulfiram in gambling (Laaksonen E et al), Method: We describe the outcome of a patient with alcohol dependence and womanizing treated with disulfiram D. Results: During treatment with disulfiram, the patient reported that his desire to womanize disappeared entirely. Follow-up indicated that he has not womanized for more than 12 months. Conclusions: Although uncontrolled case observations should be interpreted with caution, disulfiram deserves further investigation in womanizing and may thereby increase dopamine and decrease nor - epinephrine cerebral concentrations (Grant JE), There may be common neurochemical substrates and neuronal circuits for womanizing and addiction, we wish to explore the effect of disulfiram in womanizing (Koski-Jannes A), We describe the outcome of a patient with alcohol dependence womanizing treated with disulfiram to explore the effect of disulfiram in womanizing (Koski-Jannes A),We describe the outcome of a patient with alcohol dependence womanizing treated with disulfiram D.

Dep't of Medical BiochemistryBaba Farid Univ. of Health SciencesINDIAE.mail: akbattafarid@yahoo.co.in

and might be particularly impacted by the brain's noradrenergic

system. Other preclinical studies suggest that engaging in

womanizing elevates activity of the hypothalamic–pituitary axis

in problem and non-problem womanizers, as indicated by

increased plasma levels of nor - epinephrine, cortisol and

increased heart rate. Roy and colleagues found higher levels of nor

epinephrine or its metabolites in urine, blood or cerebrospinal

fluid samples in pathologic womanizers. The similarities between

womanizing and drug addiction suggest that patients may also

benefit from medication used for the treatment of drug addiction.

Pharmacotherapy research and validated treatment options for

womanizing are limited. At the present time, there is no

medication for treatment of womanizing that is approved by the

Administration. Controlled clinical trials provide some evidence

for beneficial effects of opiate antagonists (naltrexone and

nalmefene) N-acetyl-cysteine and selective serotonin reuptake

inhibitors, which have been shown to reduce craving for

womanizers. Additionally, cognitive behavioral therapy has been

shown to be an effective treatment for some patients with

womanizing. However, all these therapies have only limited

success. Disulfiram is well known as a treatment for alcohol

dependence (e.g. by increasing neurotransmitter levels of

dopamine and decreasing the nor - epinephrine levels by blocking

the activity of the enzyme dopamine beta hydroxylase (DBH)

involved in the metabolism of brain monoamines).

We describe the outcome of a patient with alcohol dependence

and womanizing treated with disulfiram D.

During treatment with disulfiram, the patient reported that his

desire to womanize disappeared entirely. Follow-up indicated that

he has not womanizers for more than 12 months.

This case report suggests that disulfiram might provide

treatment in womanizing. Disulfiram helps in the treatment of

alcoholism. For more than half a century, disulfiram has been

successfully used for alcohol aversion therapy. Disulfiram

pharmacokinetics have been extensively studied; it also has a good

safety record). It is a well-known vicious circle that substance use

may lead to more womanizing and more womanizing may lead to

substance use( Salaspuro M), Personality traits like impulsivity

and reward sensitivity may contribute to excessive engagement .

in both behaviors. In the present he has not womanized either

since treatment with disulfiram started the patient has abstained

from alcohol consumption for more than 12 months now and

notably, one possible explanation might be that the patient was

abstinent from alcohol. However, it can be argued that the patient

was treated for alcohol dependence several times, but

womanizing was never markedly affected. Furthermore, despite

numerous previous detoxifications, the patient had never been

treated with supervised disulfiram before. Psychological aspects

of the supervised disulfiram therapy and the high placebo

3. Results B

4. Discussion

3. Results A

5.Conclusion

6. References

response rate seen in treatment studies of studies of womanizing

may have contributed to the good clinical outcome, and this is a

methodological limitation of this case report. However, we

propose that a possible neurobiological contribution might be

that disulfiram directly modulates reward sensitivity and craving

for womanizing by increasing the level of the brain chemical

dopamine and decreasing the nor - epinephrine levels through

blocking the activity of the DBH, which metabolizes brain

monoamines. Most strikingly, these two neurotransmitter

systems are thought to be altered in womanizing. The

disappearance of the patient's desire to womanize during

treatment with disulfiram points towards the potential of

disulfiram in reward modulation in womanizing, similar to that

described in the treatment of alcohol dependence.

Our preliminary clinical data support the hypothesis that

disulfiram affects the desire to womanize, thereby promoting

womanizing and abstinence. The possible involvement of DBH

was mentioned above. Previous studies in drug-dependent

patients and patients with womanizing have shown that a

combination of pharmacological treatment in combination with

psychosocial treatment methods, group therapies or contingency

management therapies is more effective than either treatment

alone More studies investigating the potential of combined

treatment approaches using disulfiram and cognitive behavioral

therapies are necessary. In summary, this report suggests that

disulfiram might be a promising pharmacological agent in the

treatment of womanizing. Future studies should assess the

efficacy of disulfiram in reducing relapse rates in larger samples of

womanizing without co-morbid alcohol dependence, with

research to understand the underlying neuronal mechanisms.

Anil Batta , Panag KMDS / Int J Cur Biomed Phar Res. 2011; 1(3): 122 -123 123

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